The Lady of Grace
by Venthorn
Summary: In Robin, Emmeryn found someone who understood the stresses of command. In Emmeryn, Robin found the purpose in his life. A story of Robin/Emmeryn, interwoven through their tragedy and into a brighter future. Logically a complete work, but still being updated with new scenes and chapters about their future together.


As I played through Awakening I thought that Emmeryn was the ideal pairing for the male Avatar...yet, I saw no fics for this pair! Thus, I have taken it upon myself to write one. Little scenes that chronicle their relationship through and after the game. Unfortunately I have precious little writing skill, so I do not believe I did it justice. I have taken a few ideas from the rare few other Avatar/Emmeryn stories, which you may recognize herein.

While the story is marked as complete, and I intended it as such, I feel as if there is more to be written about Robin and Emmeryn. Thus I plan to add additional chapters about their future - some from their perspective, some from other characters.

* * *

As the Shepherds ran from the Plegian army, Robin quickly escaped to the front of the line. Just in time, too, as the first tears began to fall.

Despair was not a feeling that Robin was familiar with. He had led the Shepherds through numerous battles over the past year and his tactical brilliance had always carried the day. Until now. Everything had gone so smoothly, up to the end. He was confidant that they would spirit the Exalt away from the invading army and back to the safety of Ragna Ferox. Then that witch had summoned those archers!

He had never seen magic quite like that. Sure, some summoning magic existed - he even had the Shepherds use it to pull Maribelle and Ricken out of a particularly delicate situation some time ago. But the scale and speed that the Plegian tactician displayed should have been impossible. Robin's rescuing force of pegasus knights fell almost immediately, and Emmeryn sacrificed herself soon after. Sacrificed herself to save them, when it should have been the other way around.

He failed. He should have suspected something! The Plegians had introduced much that seemed impossible, such as the dead rising to fight again. Dark magic was still not such a well-understood subject, which made it difficult to reason about on the battlefield. He should have had some fliers underneath the cliff as a contingency, he certainly had one or two to spare. He should have...should have...

Robin couldn't stop the river of tears running down his face now. He had failed. His inspiration, the light of his brief life was dead. Chrom's _sister_ was dead.

The thought of Chrom gave him pause. While Robin and all the Shepherds faced grief, he knew that Chrom's would be the worst. They were family. Emmeryn was Chrom's sister and, practically, his mother. He had not held it together so well either: Robin had needed Basilio to pull Chrom away from scene. Robin knew it was a cruel thought but until Chrom could pull it together the prince would be useless as a leader and probably get himself killed should have to fight.

With a monumental effort, Robin put a tight grip on his emotions. Dabbing at his face with a handkerchief, he glanced at a small pocket mirror. Acceptable. His eyes were still red, but he didn't _look_ upset. While his mind remained a pit of grief and despair, his face betrayed nothing. If the Shepherds were going to make it out of this alive, they were going to need a leader they could believe in. As Chrom was clearly not up for the task right now, it was going to have to be Robin. He didn't think he was up for the task. Truth be told, he was shocked that the Shepherds continued to follow his orders at all after such a crushing failure. It probably hadn't quite registered with them yet, he figured. Well, as long as they would remain wiith him for one more day, then they could cast him to the wolves. He wasn't fit to lead a herd of goats, but it was necessary. It's what Emmeryn would have wanted.

He took another glance at the mirror. His eyes were no longer red. He looked nothing like they had just run from a resounding defeat. Good.

* * *

Three days later, the Shepherds had safely made it across the border to Ragna Ferox. The sun was setting and Robin sat in his tent, candles burning, preparing for the Shepherds' return and the final battle against the Mad King. His revenge, he supposed, though not his absolution. The wind rustled his papers as the flap opened.

It was Chrom. Robin stood and the two men looked at each other for a moment, but it was Chrom that spoke first. He clearly had something on his mind to seek Robin out at this hour. "I just wanted to thank you again, for helping me through this." Chrom said.

"We've been over this, Chrom. I share the blame for Emmeryn's death. Getting us out was me doing my job; there is nothing to thank."

"No, that's not what I meant. When we were escaping...I was useless. You took it upon yourself to lead the Shepherds when I couldn't. Thank you for that."

"Oh, right, that...that was nothing." Robin lied. "Don't worry about it."

"It wasn't!" Chrom said. "I don't understand how...it was like you had a heart of iron." Robin winced. "Gods, this is coming out all wrong! I mean, what you did there, you took control...I couldn't. A leader can't falter like I did. How did you do it?"

Robin sighed and rubbed his forehead. This wasn't a conversation he was looking forward to having, but he couldn't not help his best friend. "Emmeryn's death was...difficult for me too. She wasn't my sister, or even my Exalt I suppose, but she inspired me, in a way." Robin saw that Chrom was about to ask what he meant and quickly moved on before the man could get a word in edgewise. He was certainly not ready to talk about _that_ right now. "Anyway, I wasn't doing much better than you were. I felt like a failure and I thought that the Shepherds were going to abandon me at any moment. I knew that even though I screwed up, I still had a responsibility to get everyone out safely. If everyone stopped listening to me then, we'd have never made it out alive. I couldn't give them a chance to question me, and that meant the iron facade. I was sure it wouldn't work very long, maybe a day at most before they started questioning why they were following me, but a day was all I needed. It was very hard, but I clamped down on my emotions and just...led. It's what Emmeryn would have wanted."

"I suppose it was..." Chrom said wistfully. Then he processed the rest of Robin's words, and a surprised look came over his face. "You honestly thought we would abandon you?"

"I had just suffered the largest failure of my career! Well, a short career I suppose, at least what I can remember...and anyway," Robin sighed, "I was suffering my own grief. The Shepherds are my friends! You're my best friend! I know, rationally, friends don't abandon each other, that the Shepherds still believed in me. But I was suffering too, even though I didn't show it. It was hard to think clearly." There was more to it, of course, but Robin wasn't about to get into how he felt about Chrom's sister with Chrom. Not now, anyway.

Chrom made an unexpected move then. Walking over to where Robin stood and crushed the tactician in a bear hug. "We won't abandon each other," Chrom said, before letting go. "I know I can count on you for anything, and you can count on me for the same. While I've known Frederick for my whole life, somehow...you've become my staunchest ally, and my best friend. Thank you, Robin, for being there when we needed you."

Robin smiled. "You're welcome, Chrom," he said sincerely. "And I'll always be here for you. There is one thing, though."

"What's that?"

"Don't take my advice on leadership. I did what was necessary to get us through, because that's how I work. But we follow you because of your passion. Never lose that passion."

Chrom clapped him on the back. "Understood. Thanks, Robin."

* * *

"You have to help me!" Chrom yelled as he burst through Robin's door. The tactician took one look at the frantic prince and burst out laughing. "Calm her down! Hey, it's not funny!" Chrom shouted before remembering that he was trying to hide and gingerly closed the door.

"Aha...aha...ha..." Robin struggled to contain his laughter. "Just a...just a mom-...ahahaha."

Chrom glared at him. "Come on! She can't be reasoned with! I don't know what to do!"

"Ahahaha...oh Gods." Robin wiped his eyes, which were tearing up, and regained control of himself. "Sumia's _eight months pregnant_, Chrom. This is perfectly normal."

"She attacked me with a frying pan! She shouted 'Chrom, I'm going to kill you for what you did to me!' That's not normal!"

"Hormones, Chrom. She's eight months pregnant! She's going to have mood swings. I'm sure in another few minutes she'll be running in here, in tears wondering how you ever put up with her."

"You think so?" Chrom asked.

"Sure. Then, tonight, she'll...strangle you while you're sleeping!"

"Gah! Not helping, Robin!"

"Oh, calm down Chrom. Every couple goes through this when they're having children. Only this time, I get to have some fun at your expense."

"Yeah. Fun." Chrom plopped into a chair by Robin's desk and ran his hand through his hair. He looked weary. "You look like you're having fun. Economic reports?"

"The war's quick ending didn't hurt Ylisse's prosperity so much, but with the right controls and investments I think we could move into a real golden age. Anna's talk inspired me. Country economic plans aren't so different from battles, when you stop to think about it."

"You truly are a genius, Robin. And thank you for looking after my kingdom. I don't know what I'd do without you...say! Anna, huh?" Chrom poked Robin in the ribs. "Everyone's been getting hitched after the war. When are we going to have to get to have some fun at _your_ expense?"

Robin groaned internally. This was still not a conversation he was ready to have. "Not Anna, no. We're more friends. Or rivals. Well, it's complicated. But not in that way."

"Not Anna? Hmm...you never really showed an interest in anyone else. Say, you're not...you don't like, er, the other team, do you?"

"What gave you that impression?" Robin laughed. "No, I'm straight as an arrow, you might say."

"Well, I'm stumped then! Give me a clue here."

"Alright, well..." Robin began. He was absolutely, most certainly, not ready for this. Chrom may have recovered after Emmeryn's death, but appearances aside, Robin had not. He still felt like he was back there in front of the cliff. Some nights he dreamed about it. He decided to start from the beginning, to give himself more time to think about his words. "For a while, I tried not to think about romance. When you found me in that field, I had no memories of my past life. I still don't, really. When I rediscovered attraction, I had to stop and think - what of my past life? Did I love anyone? Did I have a girlfriend, back wherever I was in my past life? A family? Was I married? I just didn't know."

Chrom let out a breath. "I hadn't thought of it that way before. I guess I'm guilty, in a way. I've never even thought about your life before the Shepherds. Did you ever try to find out, somehow?"

"I'm assuming now that I don't. I think my name is well enough known thanks to the war that someone would have come forward if that was true, if they were still alive. Big hero of the war, and all that. But there has been nothing. It doesn't matter anymore - I think of myself as a Shepherd, now. Whatever I was before, was someone else's life. I think I've made a fine life here, among you all."

"That you have!" Chrom said. "But you're stalling now...you said 'rediscovered'. That means you do fancy someone! Well, out with it!"

"Huh. So I did." Robin admitted. He had carelessly let that slip a little too soon. "I...I'm really not ready to talk about this yet. It's too raw for me."

Chrom backed off instantly. "Did something happen? During the war? I'm sorry, Robin. I shouldn't have pried." Still, his mind raced a bit. They hadn't lost any Shepherds, thanks to Robin's immense skill. Did he have his eyes on someone who was already committed?

Robin was nothing if not perceptive, and he guessed the way his friend's thoughts headed. "It's not what you think. While I'm not ready to talk about it, I think I can show you." Retrieving a key from his pocket, Robin unlocked a drawer at the bottom of his desk and pulled it open. He felt his eyes tear up again as he reached inside. He gently retrieved a box the size of a tome and placed it in Chrom's hands. Chrom stared at it. It was filled with papers.

"It's...complicated. Here. Read these. I'll go calm down Sumia." Robin said, standing up. "Hiding this has brought me no comfort, but it is too painful to discuss. You may find things in here that you won't like reading."

With that, Robin left. Robin's last remark puzzled Chrom. Things he wouldn't like? What could he possibly mean by that? For that matter, how could he handle Sumia so easily? He'd have to ask sometime. Chrom glanced down at the box again. Whatever it was, it had Robin right upset. Chrom sat down on his friend's chair and looked at the papers. "Don't want to rip anything," he said to himself. He knew well his reputation for breaking things, and he certainly didn't want to accidentally destroy something that meant so much to his friend. So, very gently, he removed the top piece of paper and began to read. It was a letter. He was surprised by the name at the top, in Robin's handwriting: _Her Grace, the Exalt_. Hardly a greeting for an intimate couple, and certainly not a love letter. If not for who sent it and who received it, it would have been rather mundane.

_Her Grace, the Exalt,_

_I am the tactician that your brother and his band discovered two weeks prior. We met, briefly, when he brought me to the castle; I would not be surprised if you do not recall this meeting, for I am neither a remarkable nor a memorable man. Your brother has become a fast friend of mine, perhaps my only friend in this world. It is for this reason that I write to you, because I hold concerns about this friendship and what it might mean._

_I am sure that you have heard of my claimed origins, or lack thereof. I have a great concern over this. I vow that my claims are of the utmost truth and accuracy - I truly have no memories of my past life. That despite this I have been accepted into a position of such trust and confidence troubles me greatly. The fact of the matter is I do not know my origins. For all I know I could be an enemy spy or a plant, placed here in such an important position, ready to bring down the halidom through betrayal at the behest of your enemies. While I cannot imagine who could possibly be an enemy of such a kind ruler as yourself, Chrom assures me that you have plenty of enemies._

_I am trusted by Chrom and the Shepherds, but I do not trust myself. I do not believe that you should trust me either, your Grace. I am afraid of what this sort of deception could result in for you and all of Ylisse._

_Yours,_

_Robin; tactician of the Shepherds_

Robin's words caused Chrom to let out a chuckle. These were all Frederick's concerns! Chrom knew that his friend had always been concerned about his own origins, but didn't realize how far they stretched. Self-doubt was never a trait that Robin displayed to Chrom. The letter would have been sent very soon after Robin first met Emmeryn, perhaps before he even left the castle.

Chrom placed the letter down and gently picked up the next in the bundle. It was a reply, to the letter that Robin had sent, written in Emmeryn's ever-graceful handwriting.

_Robin,_

_I have read your concerns and I understand. Yet I must take the opposite position from your own. I will trust you, for I believe the risk to be worth it._

_You do yourself too little credit. I do indeed remember our meeting! In truth, your sudden appearance and arrival are quite timely. Our southern neighbor stirs: while I had hoped to put the past behind us, I fear that war may soon be upon Ylisse. The halidom is woefully unprepared for such an event. We have intentionally kept a minimal standing army and have no commander of note; our last general was killed in battle fourteen years prior, and he was no great intellectual. Chrom tells me that you have a great gift for tactics, after studying the results of your battles thus far, I agree with him._

_I hope that this explains why I believe the risk to be worth it. Now allow me to expand on why I trust you. The answer is quite simple: I trust in my brother and his judgment. Chrom has always been an exceptional judge of character. If he believes in you, then that is enough for me to do the same._

_I recognize that I have just placed a very large burden upon you. Are you up to the task, Robin? I will think no less of you if you answer in the negative. Regardless, it is perhaps best to keep this quiet for a time. If you accept, there will come a day when you will be charged to lead the forces of Ylisse but for now there are political forces in play who would not accept such an assignment. At least, not until your star has risen further._

_Sincerely,_

_Emmeryn  
Keeper of the Shield  
Exalt of Ylisse_

Chrom gave a sad smile at Emmeryn's words. That was his sister, alright. Trusting but keen. She always knew exactly what to say and exactly how to say it. In truth, it worried Chrom. He lacked all the gifts that made his sister such an effective ruler, and was afraid of being able to keep the halidom together in her absence. At least she thought he had a good judge of character! _Best to put that aside for now,_ Chrom thought. After all, this was about Robin, and there was a story here that he wanted to tell with these letters. He still didn't know what Robin meant by something he wouldn't like to read. While it pained Chrom to hear of his friend's doubts, he supposed they were natural enough. Likewise, he always knew that Robin would one day lead the armies of Ylisse and completely understood Emmeryn's reasoning. Nothing upsetting about that. The next letter was quite short and to the point, and did absolutely nothing to clear the mystery up.

_Her Grace, the Exalt,_

_I willingly accept your charge, I accept your task, and I accept your trust in me. Let it be done for Ylisse._

_Robin_

The next several series of letters were most interesting to Chrom. Robin, unbidden, had written to Emmeryn with advice for handling a brewing political storm. Chrom remembered that well; two dukes of Ylisse had been upset over what they thought was preferential treatment that Emmeryn had recently given to the Duke of Themis, Maribelle's father. Chrom had been surprised at the time over how Emmeryn had neatly defused the situation: while his sister was a great ruler and exactly what Ylisse needed, she was never the most politically shrewd of rulers. But Robin had helped her through it!

Chrom noticed a pattern with the letters as they went on. They began to paint a picture of how his sister and his best friend had grown close. The writing became closer and more intimate as time passed, and Chrom soon got the sense that his best friend was in love with his sister. Robin advised her through a number of political difficulties; they seemed to bond over the pressures of their respective stations. He was still confused, though. What was it he wouldn't like reading? That Robin fancied his sister? Hardly! Chrom couldn't imagine a better and more stalwart man than Robin. He would happily stand behind his friend if he were to court Emmeryn.

The next set of letters, though, made his blood run cold.

_My Lady of Grace,_

_It has been some time since I have written to you with concern for myself, but a few things have weighed heavily on my mind._

_The Shepherds' struggles have made me strong. While my reputation as a tactician has undoubtedly grown throughout the halidom and the world at large, it is perhaps my martial skills that have truly grown the most. My skill with the blade has increased dramatically: I say with no ego that soon I shall be Chrom's equal and will likely surpass even him._

_This may seem a strange thing to worry over, but worry I do, and greatly so. Who am I? Or, perhaps, what am I? As you well know, I have come from nothing. No memories and no skill save that of warfare, where my potential seems limitless. Is this all there is of me? Am I naught but a creature of war? I would rather walk in your shadow, your Grace, as a bringer of peace, for while each life we save in our missions is a bright candle unsnuffed, this war is a wretched thing._

_It may seem that I have given in to uncharacteristic whining, and I apologize for such, but this brings me to my second and much more serious concern. While what I have written before affects only me, this concern affects us all. I believe that Ylisse's army and the Shepherds' themselves have grown too trusting of me and my skills in tactics. While thus far we have seen naught save victory, this shall not last. No man is undefeatable and no army is invincible. History is littered with tales of great generals who grew bloated on their hubris, only to be defeated soundly in their most important moment. Chrom and the others see me as an Angel of Victory, sent by Naga herself to ensure Ylisse's success. But what of when I falter? I fear this road in front of me, paved with their trust, leads only to ruin. I am only a man, and every man can be defeated. I fear that when I am inevitably defeated, their trust in me will fall and as a result the armies will shatter._

_I apologize that I must send such grim tidings, but these dark thoughts cloud my mind._

_Your loyal friend,_

_Robin_

This must have been what Robin meant by something he would not like to hear. Chrom had not realized the immense pressures he and the others had placed on his friend, and what it did to him. How he must have thought about himself, especially after they lost Emmeryn! He would have been convinced the armies would have splintered and Ylisse lost.

Emmeryn's response did not make Chrom feel any better.

_Dearest Robin,_

_It is with heavy heart that I compose this message. Your words do yourself a great disservice. You have become my closest - nay, only - friend in these past months, and it pains me to read of your worries. While your dark thoughts do ring true and your worries represent a very real cause for concern, I believe you give them too much importance. Let us address each part in kind._

_It overjoys me to hear of your growing skill. I understand your concern, but meditate for a moment on this: do you recall that village in the eastern provinces? It had been plagued by bandits, the leader of which you brought down yourself. Consider the candle which went on living - one Anna, who now resides in Ylisstol and as her way of thanks has brought a new era of prosperous trade to the city through her intelligence and connections. Given a few years, this may spread to the whole halidom. Had you not cut down the bandits, what might all of Ylisse have lost? This is of course but one example; there are many more throughout your missions. Your strength is a great gift, Robin, which you have used to defend the most vulnerable. Far from a creature of war, you are a guardian of all that is right and just in this world: there is none I'd rather have by my side in these troubled times than you, Robin. If you can take comfort in nothing else, take comfort in that._

_This brings me to my second point. Your words do you too little credit by far. These past few months have proven to be some of my most trying as Exalt of Ylisse. It is only through your expert advice that I have managed to keep the halidom from splintering. Far from being a creature of only war! I would have you as an adviser forever! Even if this were not true, you have become my greatest friend over these months. Often I have found the burden of rule difficult to bear, but you have willingly and freely shared it with me. My friend, you will always have a place by my side should you wish it. You are a man of many gifts, and I believe your potential in a great many things is unbounded and yet to be discovered._

_Now we must discuss your last worry. You are correct to be concerned. I understand that you might falter at any moment, perhaps the worst moment, but I do not think that Chrom truly understands this. Perhaps he intellectually understands it, but I doubt he believes it. My friend, I have discussed my own burden of rule, but you now have your own. I have in the past been seen as the great deliverer of Ylisse from its troubles. The pressure to live up to this idea of perfection is immense; at times, it is all but impossible. I am truly sorry to have given you such a burden of your own. I give you the following advice: banish the thought from your mind. I am prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice for Ylisse. I know the same of you. Each and every one of the Shepherds is so prepared, including Chrom. They trust you - a rare feat for a commander to achieve - and you have repaid that trust in kind. Now you must use that trust. They know that you have their, and the halidom's, best interests at heart. Carry on and, when the day comes, any one of us will gladly pay the ultimate price. It is neither a pleasant thing nor a failure of your own command, but a grim reminder of the realities of war._

_May your next letter find you in better spirits! I eagerly await your return to the castle._

_Best,_

_Emmeryn_

Chrom was stunned at these revelations. He understood some of what Emmeryn had gone through as she became the Exalt of Ylisse, but this showed a pain that she never revealed and a pain that Robin never discussed with him. They didn't want to him to worry, he realized. They did not want him or any of the Shepherds to be concerned. Emmeryn and Robin focused solely on ensuring that everyone could do their job. The pair were willing to take any pain and even die for it.

A few more letters passed and Chrom felt his heart grow heavy as he considered their correspondence. The letters painted a slow but vivid picture of how his sister and his best friend had grown close, bonding over the pressure of their respective stations. Emmeryn was lonely, had never known true happiness in her life, always served her people first and found the pressures of rule sometimes impossible to bear. Robin knew nothing save war, quite literally, and believed himself to be little more than an instrument of death. Emmeryn disagreed. In Robin, Emmeryn had found one who truly understood the stresses of rule. In Emmeryn, Robin had found that his life could hold meaning outside of war. Chrom had seen the results of the correspondence from the outside, he realized: Emmeryn had grown happier, and Robin had slowly changed his opinion of himself over the course of the Plegian campaign. Eventually, at the end, he even agreed to stay on after the war as the new hierarch of Ylisse.

Chrom's fingers brushed the bottom of the box, and he abruptly realized he held the last letter in his hand. It was from Robin to Emmeryn, before her kidnapping. He had asked her to marry him. He never received a response: soon, Emmeryn was kidnapped and sacrificed herself for the rest of them. Chrom sat back, stunned. Only with this revelation did he realize just how Emmeryn's death must have affected Robin. They had all been wounded, but Robin had never moved on. Would never be able to move on. This last letter left him trapped in time. Robin had wanted to die, Chrom realized, in the war, in the final battle against Gangrel.

How terribly it must have hurt for Robin, Chrom thought, to attend his wedding! A wedding that in any rightful world would have been Robin's own. Chrom gently returned the pile of letters to the box and placed it back in the drawer that Robin had opened. He needed to go find his friend, to tell him that he understood and that he was there for him. No, he thought, revising that first bit. His brother. Robin had always felt that way to him, over the last year. Had things turned out just a little differently, it would have been that way for real. He needed to find his brother and keep him from becoming lost to the world, like Chrom had almost been. His brother had saved him, now it was his time to do the same.

* * *

Despite Chrom's best efforts, he had not been entirely able to prevent his friend and brother from slipping away into despair. He had been fine, up until the war with Valm began. Now as each day passed Robin seemed to grow more distant. Was this what their first war would have been like, Chrom wondered, had Emmeryn not been there to temper Robin? The man had been no less successful in his battles this time around, but Chrom was worried. Robin seemed to have no regard for his own life.

That had changed on one fateful day when the Shepherds were exploring some ruins, looking for a treasure blessed by Naga herself. Robin had come upon the enigmatic Morgan. It seemed impossible to Robin. His love had been taken away from him before he became a father. He supposed that, objectively, he might eventually fall in love again, but what gave Robin the first light of hope he felt in a long time was when Lucina did not recognize the girl. Morgan was not one of the children who had travelled back in time from the future. Lucina even confirmed that Robin had never married in her future.

Morgan certainly recognized him, though! She was absolutely convinced that Robin was her father. It didn't take him or the others much convincing either: the enigmatic girl took after him almost completely, and her quirky nature soon won over the Shepherds. Robin knew he was being entirely irrational, but he took it as a sign that perhaps not all hope was lost for Emmeryn. While Morgan had disappointingly no memory of her mother, she had the same shining gold hair that Emmeryn had; a fact that seemed to escape the notice of everyone save Robin.

It was with this sudden light in Robin's heart, then, that the Shepherds came across a village nestled by a mountain. Scarcely had the they made their appearance when a village Elder ran out to them. Chrom, Robin, and Frederick stepped ahead to greet him.

"I can't believe you've come to our aid! Oh, gods be good! Thank you, sir!" The Elder said, out of breath.

"We heard rumors of girls being snatched by the Grimleal for use in sacrificial rites." Frederick said. "Is this true?"

"All true, I fear... Our own village has lost three already. Please, you must see that no more are allowed to suffer this cruel fate!" The Elder said.

"The Grimleal have stolen their last victim. I swear it." Chrom said.

"Do you know where the zealots gather?" Robin asked, already thinking of the next battle.

The Elder thought for a moment. "One of the girls escaped and made her way here. Perhaps she can tell you more. She's a gentle sort, but a bit... Um... Well, why don't you come see her?"

Chrom and Robin exchanged glances, wondering what the man meant by that. Frederick signaled the rest of the shepherds to follow, and they began to move into the village. "Ah, here she is." The Elder said.

The three men stood in stunned silence. Lissa, who had been following behind them, moved up to join them. "Hey, why'd you guys stop? Oh my gosh! EMMERYN!"

* * *

After the difficult Valmese campaign, the battle against the Grimleal that plagued the village had proven extremely easy.

It was a joyous reunion, but at the same time a difficult one. Emmeryn's mind had been fractured by all that she had been through, and her memories had fled. Some moments she seemed her old self, while others she was almost catatonic. Chrom, Robin, and Lissa sat around the campfire, thinking about what it meant.

Robin's sadness had been shattered. Emmeryn's appearance had reawakened his old self and he once more seemed happy and alive. Robin had taken it upon himself to take care of Emmeryn, calmly brushing aside any offered assistance in the past week. Sure, she was...different...but he didn't care. He was just happy to have her back at all. On the one hand, Chrom was happy for his brother. But on the other, he was worried. Emmeryn was no longer the same sister that had raised Lissa and himself, and not the same woman that Robin had fallen in love with.

"You're wrong." Robin stated calmly as Chrom voiced those concerns. Lissa's mouth gaped open. She hadn't known about Robin and her sister; only Chrom was privy to that information. "Her memories may be gone and her mind in pieces, but she is the same person. Her nature, her grace, the way she cares and the way she loves everyone. That's what's important, and that she still has. Last week we thought her dead, and now she stands before us. Whether her mind is troubled or not, we have received nothing short of a true miracle. I've always been lucky in battle, but this...I've been granted the greatest boon to ever befall a man. I'll help her recover for as long as it takes. Until the end of my days, if necessary."

Chrom smiled. "You're right. I should have never doubted you, or your intentions." Robin was right. Chrom knew that, at Emmeryn's core, she was the same sister that he and Lissa had grown up with. "And remember what I told you from before. There's not a man in the world I'd trust more with my sister than you, Robin."

Robin's musings on the matter were interrupted by a sudden weight tackling him and bowling him over. "Why didn't you tell us?!" Lissa shouted, no longer able to hold it in. Robin wasn't sure if it was from glee or fury. Probably both. "I didn't know you were in love with my sister! After all that wheedling and teasing about your love life, why did you never say anything?"

"You aren't mad?" Robin asked, slowly bringing himself to his feet.

"What? Of course not!" Lissa exclaimed. "This is wonderful!"

"Well, it difficult for me, Lissa." Robin said. "I was afraid all I had left was a box of memories. Now the future seems brighter. Still..." Robin felt somber for a moment "There is much to be done yet. We will celebrate later, when all this is over."

* * *

"R...Robin?" Emmeryn's timid voice asked. Her mind pushed back against the fog that seemed to constantly seep in. Yes. This was Robin. And there was something she needed to know from him.

"Your grace?" Robin looked up from his table filled with maps. He was so lost in concentration, planning the Shepherds' next move, that he hadn't heard her enter. He stood immediately. "Is everything alright? Do you need something? Can I help you with something?"

"Robin...why?" Why was this man being so kind to her? There was something she couldn't remember, that she couldn't speak to him. She remembered things, now. Bits and pieces of a past life. Someone else's life. She had a brother and a sister. She was a ruler. The Exalt! That's what they called her, she remembered. Yes, that was it. The fog receded ever so slightly. But this man...what was he to her? Why was he always so kind to her? So many words to say, but to her frustration only a few could come out. "Why...so kind...to me? Robin?"

"Your grace..." Robin began. _How to answer?_ he wondered. How to explain that she was his light, his life, his everything, and that she had returned meaning to him with her presence? "I was once like you are now. No memories. No purpose. I only knew one thing, that of war. But you showed me then what life beyond war could mean. That there was a future, that that future was what I was fighting for and why I was here. You were, simply, everything to me. To have you back now means the world still has meaning, that there's still a future worth fighting for. That...oh, dear." Robin interrupted himself, concerned. Emmeryn had a strange look on her face. "I've said too much. I've just confused you, haven't I? I'm sorry, your grace. I shouldn't be so selfish."

"No..." Emmeryn whispered. "You are...I am..." The fog blazed in her mind with the light of the sun. The blazing light was hope. That's who this man was. He was hope itself. The fog did not recede, but she knew that he would burn it all away with time. As she began to speak she felt the fog slip back, slowly but steadily. "You are...hope...to everyone. To me. I wander...through thick mists. Spirits call my name, but I cannot see them! I cannot find them. I am afraid. A brother, a sister...I can make out the images. Hazy. I cannot find them! You call my name, and I find you. You guide me through the fog. Your presence pushes it away. Stay with me! I am...better now, than I was. But not whole. Not yet. So...stay. You are my hope, my promise that I will be whole. I know that I will be. With you. You make me whole. You make me whole..." she repeated.

Robin pulled Emmeryn into an embrace. He could not stop the tears from falling from his eyes. Was it sadness, from all that Emmeryn had suffered and continued to suffer? Or was it joy, from her confession to him and learning what he meant to her, and still meant to her? Perhaps both. "Your grace...my love...I will be with you always. Until the end of my days, and beyond."

* * *

Reality had a sad way of interfering with the life's plans, Robin thought somberly. They stood on Grima's back and Robin had just defeated his doppleganger. Chrom bore heavy wounds from the battle but was being healed by Emmeryn herself, who had improved enough to remember who her brother and sister were. She reacted well to Robin's care, and got better and better with each passing day. "He is exposed! Finished it!" Lucina shouted from the background.

Chrom, his wounds healed, stood up to do exactly that. _I'm sorry, Emmeryn._ Robin thought as he opened a wind tome with one hand and fingered the box in his pocket with the other. _I know I made a promise to you and the others, but it is your example that I follow now._ With that he began his spell.

"Robin? What are you doing?!" Chrom shouted as the wind washed over him, blowing him and Emmeryn back into the rest of the Shepherds.

"I'm sorry!" Robin replied. "But I will never let Grima be a threat to another soul again!" With that, Robin he drew the fell dragon's magic into himself and formed it into a crackling black spike. "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same, Grima. Now I can give my life to protect those I care for."

"No! Robin!" Chrom shouted and ran forward, but it was too late. Robin drove the spike deep into Grima, who screamed as it pierced his spirit. The assembled Shepherds shuddered as they felt in their very souls.

The scream seemed to awaken something deep within Emmeryn. "No!" she wailed, falling to her knees. "I remember it now, but moments too late! Why, Robin? Why?"

"Because of my love for you." Emmeryn looked up and saw that Robin had wandered over to her and the rest of the Shepherds. He took her hand and pulled her up to him, into an embrace. "It pains me to no end to leave you, my love." Robin whispered sadly. "But I do it for the world. This creature shall never threaten another generation with the horrors we have seen."

Emmeryn stood silently, weeping and holding on to Robin with all her strength. Robin held her tightly as wisps of mist slowly rose from his body. He seemed to almost be evaporating away. "Take care of her, Chrom." He said. "The world is in your hands now."

"Don't say that, Robin!" Chrom said. "We'll find you again! Remember what Naga said! There is still hope."

"Yes..." Robin said. He did not believe it so much, but he did not want to break their spirits as he left. "Keep me in your hearts, my friends. Your love for me and our bonds will bring me back if nothing else can."

"You must come back, father!" Morgan said. "You haven't even had me yet!"

"That is true." Robin smiled, hope once again creeping into his heart. Maybe he could believe, just a little. "Emmeryn, my love, I am sorry. I was truly blessed to hold your heart in life." As he said his final words, Robin's body dispersed entirely, leaving nothing but the rising mist which quickly dispersed into the wind.

"I know..." Emmeryn whispered to the air. "I would not begrudge you your sacrifice."

It was minutes later, after Naga had transported them off the fell dragon who had suffered the same fate, that Emmeryn sat on the green grass with her knees pulled to her chest, weeping. W_hat was one woman's love compared to the fate of the world?_ she thought. But regardless of the truth, it still felt wrong. "Why have the gods made me remember, only to have what truly matters ripped away from me?" She whispered. "I know that he has done nothing more than I once have, but why now? Am I so cursed?"

"No, sister!" Chrom exclaimed, pulling her towards him. "He will come back. I am sure of it."

"Yeah!" Lissa agreed, joining Chrom on the other side of Emmeryn. "His love for you is stronger than any force in the world! It's the stuff of legends! He found you, despite everything! Now we'll find him!"

"Your grace." Frederick said, kneeling in front of her. "I believe the same. Robin is too strong to simply disappear. It falls to us to look after the realm until he returns."

The other Shepherds all spoke in turn, agreeing with Frederick in their own way. What started as a tiny ray of hope within the group soon became a blazing fire.

"Alright." Emmeryn whispered, a ghost of a smile appearing on her face. She was not sure if it was true or not, but she had to believe them. She didn't think she could go on living again without Robin. Not after he had returned to her, only to be ripped away again so soon. "Then let us not rest until we find him again."

* * *

"Chrom, we have to do SOMETHING." A familiar voice echoed through Robin's head.

"What do you propose we do?" This was all so familiar...

"I... I dunno..."

Robin opened his eyes and rubbed them. Two hazy figures moved into his field of view.

"I see you're awake now." One of them, masculine, said.

"Hey there!" The female voice called.

"There're better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know." Wait a second...he remembered that voice.

"Chrom!" Robin exclaimed. The man smiled and reached his hand down, which Robin eagerly grasped in his own and pulled himself to his feet. He noted with pleasure that his own hand no longer bore the brand of the fell dragon.

"You remember us!" Lissa exclaimed eaglerly.

"Of course! How could I forget my friends? Wait...is Emmeryn here? How long have I been out for? Is she okay?" Robin fired off, talking a mile a minute and becoming increasingly incoherent.

"It's only been two days!" Chrom answered.

"She's here!" Lissa butted in. "She's the one who made us come here! She didn't believe you'd leave. None of us did! She had us come to where we first found you."

"Though she may be a bit cross with you." Chrom chimed in. "Well, cross in her own way." he hastily added. "She knows why you did it, but despair has hung heavy in her heart the past two days."

Robin felt a weight in his heart over that. "I know that what I did was right, but still..."

"She will understand. She loves you. Shall we go rejoin the others?"

"Yes, let's." Robin said. "It was indeed our bonds and her love that brought me back. I don't know how, but...well, here I am. I vow to never leave again."

* * *

The day could not have been more perfect. The wind breezed lazily through the trees of the orchard and the sun stood proudly high in the sky. A perfect day for a wedding.

Immense numbers of Ylissean citizens had come to witness the ceremony between their beloved Exalt, miraculously returned from the dead, and the great hero of Ylisse. Despite his normal confidence and poise, Robin could not help feeling a bit nervous.

"What's the matter?" Chrom asked, clapping Robin on the back. He stood in as Robin's best man. There could be no other choice, as far as Robin was concerned. "This is a joyous day."

"They're all counting on me." Robin said, sweeping his hand to indicate the masses that had come out for the occasion. "Our war has ended, but after today a battle begins anew. We have to rebuild the world and bring peace and prosperity to all our people. It's a serious charge."

"You sound just like Emmeryn!" Chrom said. "But listen. After today, you live for you. You have done enough for all of us for a lifetime. Several lifetimes. And," he said, holding his finger up to silence Robin's objection, "I have full faith in you to do just what you said. We all do. I've seen it myself over the past two years. My sister knows it. That's why she fell for you in the first place. You know, it's funny. I always considered you to be my brother, but now you will be for real!"

"Thanks, Chrom." Robin smiled, and then turned to look down the other end of the orchard. The bride's procession had begun, and any hint of nervousness about the future that Robin felt immediately fled when he saw Emmeryn. While every bride surely looked a beauty on her wedding day, Robin knew that Emmeryn outshone them all. The white dress, her shining golden hair, the grace with which she moved...she looked scintillating. Ethereal. Some of the nearby Shepherds briefly shaded their eyes with their hands as if they stared into the sun before nonchalantly coughing as if nothing happened. So, it seemed, he wasn't the only one who thought so.

As the ceremony moved forward, Robin became more and more certain of himself and his future. This is what he had fought for, suffered for, and even died for. As he placed the ring that he had purchased so long ago on Emmeryn's finger, he knew that the future would be radiant. Just like her. "I once hoped I wouldn't survive the war." Robin heard himself saying. "Then you returned, and it was like the light came back to my life. I was prepared to throw myself away to ensure a peaceful future, but it seems that fate has plans with me yet. I feel as though I'm living a dream. From this moment forward, I vow to never leave you again." Robin leaned down to kiss her for the first time as husband and wife and the orchard erupted in a chorus of cheers and claps. The future was bright indeed.


End file.
